Fall 07 Menswear so far
Alexander McQueen -
What I really liked about this collection, that beyond the theatrical pieces, he'd turned out some sublime wearable pieces that put to shame most of the pack not only so far, but in past seasons. (and this does exclude any Dior Homme or the Burberry Men's Fall 06 collection).
"a collection as startling and individual as this. In purely technical terms, McQueen mastered a striking repertoire of effects, such as the silvery glaze on a gray flannel suit, the plastic coating on a Prince of Wales check, or the taffeta-and-felt bonding that turned scuba neoprene into the stuff of jackets and pea coats. Only McQueen could make a conceptual point of the interplay between the most luxurious natural fibers and the most Hazmat-toned synthetics (orange nylon was a particular standout).
McQueen’s work continues to enthrall ... He’s the most cinematic of designers, and with this collection, he offered up a vision that combined the broad-shouldered, immaculately-tailored elegance of haute Hollywood with a dystopian futurism that left his models looking like glassy-eyed replicants. It was extraordinary... Still, the bugle-beaded jackets that McQueen presented as a finale must surely stand as the new century’s definitive statement on male glamour—until his own next show, at least." style.com Tim Blanks
Alessandro Dell'Acqua
I had a few problems with this collection, it seemed to borrow too much on others designers past collections. And normally I feel that the cut -especially of the pant- is funny, done too designer for it to look right on a man. But I was pleased with the pants especially from this collection. Also the color scheme all silvers, greys, blacks, and creams.
"...Dell’Acqua wanted more from this collection than the things his closet was missing: He was hoping to nail a modern man’s wardrobe. Unfortunately, that grandiose goal may have been a bridge too far. The most memorable items were his reconceptualizations of simple pieces like a basic jean (delivered here as a deep-pleated pair of dungarees) or a mod nylon parka (line it with Persian lamb and it’s a whole new bag)." style.com Tim Blanks
Bottega Veneta-
Overall the collection was a bit boring, but these two caught my eye.
"Tomas Maier’s technical accomplishments at Bottega Veneta are all the more spectacular for being so subtle. This season, his obsession with the craft of clothing saw him apply his trademark “barely there” construction to the formal foundations of the finest Neapolitan tailoring—no mean challenge! But the very first outfit, a three-piece suit with peaked shoulders, deep vents, and a trim double-breasted waistcoat, was a confident assertion of success, and that sharp, hypertailored silhouette set the tone for the rest of the collection." style.com Tim Blanks
Burberry Porsum-
After a slightly disappointing Spring Collection, Christopher Baily redeemed himself with his Fall 07 collection. The cut of the coats. the pant length, the pairing of the boots with the pant is wonderful. Bailey hands down is my pick for color schemes. I've yet to see another designer use color in a better palate than Mr. Bailey. My only objection is that he insists on slapping a belt on everything. Here are a very edited version of my favorites.
"...The military influence on Christopher Bailey’s new collection was so overt as to beg the question about its connection to current events. But Bailey insisted it was the romance of uniforms that inspired him—and, more specifically, the idea of the young princes William and Harry at Sandhurst Military Academy... J. Lindberg
Most people would think that this is right up my alley. That this is my standard and style for my ideal man. And if we were talking about the guy on the street, I'd agree. This is the straight guy version of what I like. I'd wish him to wear Dior Homme and be able to pull it off... but unless he's super svelte, or a rockstar, good luck not being super gay.
The collection wasn't flawless, there was too much material being thrown around making the looks a bit messy, and the beaded necklaces made me gag, but that was the stylists fault I suppose...
"Today's collection marked both the tenth anniversary of Johan Lindeberg's brand and a creative departure for the designer. He declared his ambition to bring his signature line to "a new level of luxury and personal expression," and it turned out that wasn't just marketing speak. Gone from the runway were his skinny jeans and updated athletic wear (they'll continue to fulfill a lucrative role at diffusion level). In their place was an unexpected play with proportion and volume. Lindeberg showed high-waisted, button-fly, loose-legged pants; long shirts layered under cropped jackets and pea coats; an elongated patent bomber jacket; and sweeping greatcoats. He may not be the first designer you'd count on to make such a concerted, persuasive case against the tyranny of lean, but for Lindeberg, thin is clearly no longer in." style.com Dirk Standen.
That's it so far, other designers only had one or two highlights for me so I didn't post them. Although I would highly recommend that you check them out anyway and see what take you get on them. Check out Costume National (the pants really threw me), D&G, Etro had some nice usage of color, and Gucci had nice finishing touches. You can find all these and more on style.com.
